The drafting process of the EU Global Strategy published in June 2016 has differed distinctively from the formulation of the European Security Strategy in 2003 mainly because of its consultative character. The coordination of the process was ensured by the High Representative who brokered between interests of individual Member States. Looking through the lens of deliberative intergovernmentalism, the paper examines patterns and channels of the cooperation between Poland and the EEAS throughout the strategy–making process. It attempts to shed light on the officially repeated claims on the Member States’ ownership of the document and their active participation in the consultations. The article argues that only with national diplomacies as strategy–makers, the document would have a chance to enhance the EU’s ’will to project power’ in its neighbourhood and beyond. However, the salience of the new strategy among the high political level in the Member States reveals to be crucial for a sustainable contribution to the deliberative policy formulation. 

The rule of law is one of the founding values of the EU, as indicated in Art. 2 TEU. This provision recognizes that the rule of law is a core value, inherent to liberal democracy, and one which characterized the Union and its Member States. Taking into account this context, as well as the deficiencies of the EU mechanism to enforce the rule of law within the Member States, European Parliament called on the Commission to establish a new tool to address rule of law backsliding in Member States. In October 2016, Parliament addressed recommendations to the Commission on the establishment of EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights (EU pact for DRF) in the form of an international agreement. The new mechanism should integrate and complement the existing mechanism, should be evidence-based, objective, addressing the Member States and EU. The author analyzes this initiative and tries to answer why it was not fully realized. Additionally, he presents a reaction to that initiative of the Council of Europe. There is no doubt, that realization of the EU Pact for DRF would inf luence the Council of Europe and weaken its role as a main European mechanism in the area of protection of democracy, rule of law, and human rights.

Today’s world, in the absence of borders, people are increasingly changing their place of residence, owning real estate, holding bank accounts and owning other property in different countries. This can not but have consequences in inheritance. This, in turn, can create some difficulties, cause disputes between the heirs and will undoubtedly affect the costs of registration of the inheritance. Another common problem is that a will made in one country may not have legal force in another country where it must be enforced. These and many other issues could not remain unresolved at the EU. A common approach to many inheritance issues has been found through the adoption of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council № 650/2012 of 4 July 2012 on jurisdiction, law enforcement, recognition and enforcement, adoption and enforcement of authentic instruments in matters of inheritance and the creation of a European Certificate of Inheritance. This provision came into force on August 17, 2015 and applies to cases of inheritance that occurred after that date. Inheritance cases are processed by one competent authority (court or other authority) in one state, and decisions taken in such cases are recognized in other EU member states without any special formalities. This should significantly improve and facilitate the inheritance procedure within the European Union, with the exception of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, which do not particpate in this regulation. We will consider these questions in our research.